Dungeness crab is well known for their irresistible salty sweet flavor and succulent meat. Their name comes from the Dungeness Spit, a sandy stretch of land on the northwest coast of Washington State. Our crabs come from the icy cold coast of Alaska near the Bering Strait - one of the most famous places in the world to harvest crab - and are the favorite crab species of Alaskan locals for their incredible flavor.

They’re easily identifiable for their characteristic dark purple coloring. Dungeness crabs are known as the “King of the Pacific” and are one of the most commercially popular species, highly sought after for their amazing quality.

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Meet The Dungeness Crab, Your Favorite Crustacean

The lifespan of a Dungeness crab is relatively short, approximately ten years on average. Like other crustaceans they begin life as a plankton-like microscopic creature called a “zoea” after hatching. They continue to grow larger until they are visible but still incredibly tiny, the stage of their lifecycle when they are known as “megalopae”.

During these early stages of life they are swept around the ocean by water currents, completely at the whim of the sea - although megalopae have been known to catch rides on the back of purple jellyfish from time to time. They continue to grow larger until they are considered juvenile crabs, and eventually reach full size at about three years of age.

While they’re growing, Dungeness crabs go through a process known as molting. This is when they shed their outer shell as a new, larger one forms beneath. The pressure from the new exoskeleton forming causes a crack in the hard outer shell, and since the new tissue is softer the crab is temporarily flexible enough to emerge from the older shell, leaving it behind. After they extricate themselves and leave the molted shell behind, they’ll bury themselves in the sand until their new shell hardens.

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Dungeness Crab Are Some Of The Most Difficult To Catch

They are very difficult to catch as they are highly skilled at hiding and avoiding traps. Our fishermen use traps known as “pots” baited with various tasty treats for the crabs. In many places along the West Coast of the United States, dungeness crab season peaks during the winter. However, in these frigid waters off the coast of Alaska, Dungeness crab is readily available year round.

We Carefully Selected The Boat Our Crabs Come From

Tony Beck and JP Bulow, the owners of the company, went on essential business to Alaska so that they could scout out the very best sources for some amazing seafood. They got to see firsthand how everything is caught, how the boats are kept, what the fishermen are like, and everything else about the process. They specifically selected our source of Dungeness crabs for the way the boat is run and kept and resonance with shared philosophy around providing good food that is sustainable in a way that is respectful to the earth. We know the fishermen who catch our crabs by name and to us it’s an important part of knowing where our food comes from.

Our Dungeness crab comes in clusters with the shell on, lightly pre-cooked by the fishermen who catch them before they’re flash frozen. They’re delicious served steam with butter, cooked into crab cakes, in soups, with some delicious steak as surf & turf… the options are endless. The Dungeness has a sweeter flavor than other types of crab, making it more desirable than even the famous King crab for many seafood lovers. Crab is considered one of the most sustainable seafoods you can choose according to Seafood Watch.

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The Beck & Bulow Team Is Here To Help

At Beck & Bulow, we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service. We’re always here to help if you have any questions regarding your meat, want help making selections, or are just looking for some cooking tips. Every time you call our office, you’ll be directly connected with one of our team members right here in Santa Fe, New Mexico where we’re based.

Every cut of meat is pressure sealed and flash frozen immediately after butchering at the peak of freshness. We work exclusively with master butchers who make every cut with care and precision. All orders are hand packed at our Santa Fe warehouse, shipped in a reusable cooler with dry ice and delivered straight to your doorstep. Check out our selections of humanely raised chicken, elk, bison, beef, lamb, wild boar and seafood.